Inuyasha : The Rebirth
by Quileria
Summary: When the reincarnations of Inuyasha and Kagome meet, what's the worst that could happen? Squabbling, attitude, some cute moments... and maybe the end of the world as we know it.
1. Prologue

A/N : Things I shouldn't be doing :

Not studying.

Writing a fanfic.

Posting only two chapters in the first go.

Hiding in the bathroom eating chocolate.

Dancing on the dining table.

Going too far with this list.

Doing all of these things anyway.

It's a _chilkut zindagi,_ you know?

Disclaimer: all I own are my many self-generated characters. Canon characters belong to Rumiko Takahashi

* * *

PROLOGUE

Somewhere beyond time and space

There she is. The girl who brought me into this world, shattered me into thousands of fragments and failed to rebuild me. The girl whose arrow peirces me. Ironically, it is her heart that lies in my will now. She will make a wish, and when she does, Midoriko will be free. Kagome will take her place, battling Naraku for eternity.

I know the deepest secrets of her heart. All she wants is for that half-demon to love her wholeheartedly and with no complications. Such a foolish young child… the half-demon is older but not much wiser. He wants nothing less than the power of his father and full-blooded demon brother.

If the little priestess ever escapes my clutches, I know her fate nonetheless. She will get what she so deeply desires. She will live with the half-demon - but only for a few years. Her days on this earth are numbered. As for Inuyasha, he will die a full-fledged demon.

There they stand, side by side, blissfully ignorant of their fate. "Shikon jewel," Kagome says, "I'm ready to make my wish." I am ready to grant it. "Shikon jewel," she addresses me again, "I wish for you to disappear."

That is the only way she can get away from me. Even as she speaks, I can feel the souls trapped in me tugging free. "Forever!" She finishes.

Forever? For her lifetime, yes. But she does not know that raw power in such a form as mine cannot be contained forever. It may take a hundred years or a thousand.

But when the four souls meet again, I will be reborn.

* * *

A/N: for all you non-Indians out there, the unfamiliar phrase means "small life".


	2. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: All Canon characters belong to Rumiko Takahashi.

* * *

ONE

Disappearance

XX-XX-2016, A Prestigious High School, Tokyo

 _Snap._ The invigilator snatched the paper from Kazuo's hand, just as the final bell rang. The test was now officially over. Of course, this wasn't the first time Kazuo was late to one, nor was it going to be the last. Maybe next time he could skip it altogether… smiling at the thought, he picked up his bag and walked over to his friends.

" Took you long enough," Kenji grumbled. They were walking along a corridor, away from the classroom. "Calculus," Kazuo replied. Kenji grimaced. "Oxymorons." "Meh, baby stuff." Amaya said, "I got medieval religions."

Every Friday, the students had to take a test to brush up on what they learned throughout the week. The three friends, being in the second year* of high school but in different classes, had different tests at the end of the week. It was a favourite habit of theirs to limit all test-related conversation to five minutes.

"One minute." Kazuo announced. "Fine. If oxymorons are so easy for you-" Kenji began, turning to Amaya. "Dead life, sunny night, lecherous monk." she answered. " _Lecherous monk_ is not an oxymoron!" he sputtered. "Is too. I studied all about them - monks, I mean." she said coolly. "What about white chocolate _?"_ he asked. Amaya shook her head. "Shit." "Aand time's up." Kazuo said.

For a few seconds, they walked along in comfortable silence. There would be school tomorrow, of course, but only for half a day. And then Kazuo would have to spend Sunday alone in his shared flat, party animal that his roommate was… but first he had to get some kind of work. While his parents paid his school fees and rent, there were other expenses. Mainly food. And - his train of thought was abruptly (and painfully) cut off when Amaya's nails dug into his arm. Startled, he looked at her.

Only moments ago, she was her usual self, happy and confident. Now, though, she was steadily growing paler. Following her eyes, he saw a junior boy standing some distance away. He had his back to them, but as far Kazuo could tell, he looked pretty much normal. Then, almost as if sensing their eyes on him, the boy turned.

"Let's get you outta here," Kenji suggested, gently pulling her away. "Huh…" She blinked. Then she regained her senses. "Fuck." It was all Kenji and Kazuo could to stop her from sprinting away. They firmly placed themselves on either side of her and walked her to the exit.

Amaya kept her head bowed the whole time. She didn't say a word. Kazuo glanced over at Kenji. _Who's gonna ask her?_ Kenji just shook his head like, _not now._ Or maybe it was _damn, I don't know._ Or even _she's losing it._ It was hard to tell with Kenji. Kazuo shrugged. "So," he began, "Give us the heads up. Who is that guy?" Not taking her eyes off the ground, she whispered, "Souta… Souta Higurashi."

"I thought I could forget about it," Amaya explained. They were just outside the school gates, sitting on a wall. "It wasn't easy at first, but as the years passed, I stopped thinking about it... I guess it settled at the back of my mind. And I was happy to leave it there. But seeing Souta today just made the memory rush back, all at once… it was too much." She laughed dryly. "It _is_ too much."

Kenji clapped. "Yay. Now will you tell us what actually happened?" She stuck her tongue out. "Nope, I'm gonna stop right here." Kazuo grinned, relieved that his friend was back to normal. That being said, he was curious, too. So he punched Kenji upside the head and nodded at Amaya to continue.

She cracked a small smile. "This happened in the seventh grade. We had that history project - remember, Kenji? - we could choose any ancient monument still existing now and write about it. Most of my classmates chose famous places. I chose household shrines."

Kazuo whistled. "Smart idea." "Course, what else do you expect of me? Anyways, that's how I found the Higurashi shrine. I went there one day after school, planning to ask the owner and check the place out. By the time I got up all those steps, though, I was totally exhausted, so I sat down for a bit. I took a quick look round, saw the shrine, a huge decorated tree opposite and the house. It was a nice place."

She paused for a breath and then continued. "Then the house door opened and an older girl came out. She had a kind face. I thought of asking her for permission to see the shrine but I wasn't really sure if she lived there, besides, she looked sad. So I decided to leave her alone. She went to the shrine, so preoccupied that she didn't even see me. A few minutes later, a woman, obviously her mother, followed her in. This was getting interesting, so I stood up for a better view."

Amaya glanced at her friends.

Why did it feel like something was missing? They were looking at her eagerly, obviously wanting her to continue. Then it hit her. Smiling, she decided not to mention to either of them that they hadn't interrupted her even once.

"After a minute or two, the shrine suddenly began to glow _,_ and I don't mean from some bulb or something. I mean the walls, the roof, the door, all lit up… almost like… _magic."_ Amaya whispered the last word. "No-" Kenji began. "Shh! Hear me out," she insisted. "If you think that was weird, just wait till you find out what happened next." He scowled.

"A couple of seconds later, the shrine was back to normal. I thought it was my imagination, but bright spots still lingered in front of my eyes... I kept watching anyway. They must have seen it too, and would probably come out any second. And then the mother came out. But she was alone, and she locked the shrine door behind her."

"How could she forget her own daughter in there?" Kazuo asked, shocked. "She didn't. It was on purpose." said Amaya gravely.

"As soon as she left, I ran to the shrine and began pounding the door as loud as I could. The girl was inside, she had to be, and I was the only one who could get her out. I remember yelling 'Are you in there?' but no one answered. Then I tried listening through the door. Nothing. Was she tied up and gagged, then? Luckily, I spotted a window nearby. But when I looked in… the shrine was empty."

"The chill that shot through me then…" she shivered. "You do _not_ want to know. All I wanted was to run home, hide under the blankets and convince myself that it was all a nightmare. But when I turned back.. Souta was standing right behind me. He must have seen everything. I just didn't care anymore. I shoved him aside and ran, took the first bus, got home, and tried not to think of it ever since."

As she concluded, an eerie silence settled upon the three of them. Kazuo found himself imagining small, dark spaces with _things_ leaping out at him. He shuddered. That boy, Souta Higurashi, was a member of that family. Who was the girl? His sister? Higurashi… the name was vaguely familiar. Then he realised why.

"Kazuo?" Amaya was peering at him, concerned. "Did I scare you too much?" He looked at them. The usually talkative Kenji was staring into the distance, his face stony. Amaya met his eyes, worried. As much as he didn't want to, he knew he had to tell them.

"I got a part-time job at the Higurashi shrine. Today will be my first day."

* * *

*In Japanese schooling, that would mean that they are in 11th grade and about 17 years old.

In case I wasn't clear in the story, Amaya witnesses Kagome going to the feudal era for the last time. It turned out way freakier than it was supposed to =0

A/N : I feel a little evil today, so

WARNING do not read further if you want to keep your sanity. Ok? Done.

Ah, Amaya, in another life you wouldn't have bothered to _save_ Kagome, as you call it. Kenji, on the other hand, is the reincarnation of someone who would have jumped off a cliff for her. As for Kazuo…. _Well..!_


	3. Chapter 2

A/N: Sorry for the long gap between the chapters. I had exams, but now I'm free so here's a new chapter for you! Enjoy!

* * *

TWO

Transformation

XX-XX-2016, 6 months later

Kazuo groaned. The one day he woke up before his alarm clock, it had to be a holiday, and _of course_ he couldn't go back to sleep. His mind just refused to shut down, so he rolled out of bed and headed over to his balcony.

How the bright, busy 5 AM Tokyo landscape managed to soothe him, he never knew - maybe it was the fact that he wasn't the only one awake and restless early in the morning. While his mind wandered, he absently fidgeted with the large black pendant on his neck, a gift from his mother on his tenth birthday.

' _Now that you're two digits old, you should be able to handle some responsibilities as well,' she smiled, giving him the necklace. Kazuo frowned. He had been hoping for that new video game. What would he do with some girly necklace? 'Mom, why don't you give it to Sakura?_ _She's_ _a girl.' he pouted. 'Kazuo…' his mom said in her 'danger voice', but he was too upset to heed it. 'It was passed on from your grandmother to me and she told me specifically to give it to you and not your sister. Like it or not, it's yours.'_

And so he was stuck with it for the past seven years. But oddly, now that his mom, dad and sister were on another continent entirely, he couldn't bear to part with it - it was like his link to them. A silly thought, but it comforted him.

A few minutes later, the loud growling of his stomach brought him back to earth. He had some sugary cereal for breakfast, and after a leisurely shower, switched on the TV. Just then, there was a loud, drawn-out ring at the doorbell, as familiar as it was irritating.

"So you're back," he said in mock contempt, as his roommate staggered into the flat, swaying. "Don't tell me you drove here." The latter grunted and collapsed on the sofa. He reeked of alcohol, and Kazuo figured that he'd have one heck of a hangover when he woke up. Not that it was his problem.

"Really, Amaya, they are _definitely_ not the reason behind whatever you saw." Kazuo asserted for what felt like the hundredth time. The trio were at WacDnald's, much to Kenji's chagrin("How kiddy can you get?") but he cheered up at the sight of the food. Amaya was convinced that the Higurashis were somehow behind that girl's disappearance. Kazuo would have felt the same if he didn't know them, but now he was sure that they were innocent.

Luckily, before the topic could escalate into an argument, Kenji spoke up. "I'm bored. Are you gonna find something else to talk about or what?" Amaya glared at him. "Any suggestions?" He smiled lazily. "Well, there _is_ one thing…."

"Cool." Kazuo said, as they walked along a familiar path. "I can't believe you idiots!" Amaya hissed. "Breaking into school when it's closed - are you trying to get _expelled_?" "Hey, no one asked you to come along." Kenji replied, shrugging. "It's supposed to be a sort of rite of passage for this school. Everyone must have done it and some point." "I don't believe it!" "Ask anyone when we go back, then." Still seething, Amaya went along with them.

As they reached the gates, Kazuo could feel excitement tingling through his veins. Kenji was right, all the seniors he'd talked to spoke about breaking in as a tradition. No one stole or broke anything, of course, they just did it for the heck of it. He was hoping that they'd have to climb over the gates or something adventurous, so he was mildly disappointed to see that they were wide open.

They got in easily. The school looked so huge and foreboding and _empty_ that another excited chill shot through Kazuo. This was it; all they had to do was not get caught. Even Amaya was beginning to look interested by the time they approached the main building. So far, so good; apparently nobody was about. But why were the gates open? Common sense told him that someone, most likely the principal and maybe a few teachers, would be inside. Good thing that they were far from the staff block.

"Let's check that one out," said Kenji, indicating a door to their left which none of them had ever been into before. Amaya tried the door, it was locked. "It's a pantry." she told them. Kenji, for once, didn't look happy at the mention of food. "Ugh. I bet it's all vegetables and stuff." Up ahead was another room, which turned out to be filled with sports equipment. Kenji and Kazuo practically dived in and retrieved a football and a basketball, respectively, with wide grins on their faces. The grins disappeared as soon as they saw what the other had brought. Amaya rolled her eyes. "Oh no, you don't," she said, dragging their protesting selves away from the room.

"Why do I get the feeling you know where we're going?" Kazuo asked her. She didn't even try to deny it. "Because I know _exactly_ where we're going." Kenji broke his sullen silence. " library." he said, a little too loudly. "Kenji, _shut up_!" Amaya scolded. But it was too late. Footsteps were closing in on them, fast. " _I heard voices, sir."_ Kazuo heard someone say, over the loud pounding of his heart. Why did he agree to this? He wanted to run, but realised with a jolt of terror that he couldn't move.

Suddenly, someone grabbed both him and Amaya and shoved them into a small room behind a hidden door. Startled, he turned around and realised that it was Kenji, who was looking at him warningly. _Don't make a sound._ Kazuo gulped. He could hear many sets of feet pattering outside the door, and then, without any warning, they all stopped. His stomach twisted into a knot. Any second now, the doorknob would turn. And then, slowly, hesitatingly… It moved a few inches.

And stopped. " _Hey, boss, this one's locked._ " A man called outside. " _Eh, ain't no lock on that one. It's jammed."_ Responded an older, gruffer voice. " _Hooligans probably ran away._ " Footsteps were beginning to move now, and Kazuo found himself able to breathe a little. " _I bet they're still around somewhere, old man, see if I'm wrong._ " said someone else, but they were definitely moving away. A tense minute later, they were gone. Kazuo and Kenji exchanged looks of relief. But where was Amaya?

She was standing in front of a glass panel, calmly wiping the dust away with her jacket sleeve. Apparently, the commotion hadn't scared her one bit. Mystified, the boys got up and went over to her. There were a lot of trophies behind the panel, and a few graduation photos. Suddenly, she pressed her face against the glass, trying to get a closer look at something. The she signalled them to come over, grinning widely.

"Look!" she said, pointing at one of the photos, or more specifically, at someone _in_ the photo. It was a girl, with longish hair and a sweet smile. Underneath her picture was printed a name : Kagome Higurashi. As Kazuo peered at her picture through the glass, something odd happened - his pendant burned and stung his chest. Wincing, he pulled it out, and immediately forgot his pain.

It was no longer black. It shone a brilliant purple in his hands and, within seconds, faded to reveal white lines on its edges and a purple floral design at its centre. The rest of the pendant turned black again, leaving him with a stunning - girly, but stunning - piece of jewelry in his palm.

Dazed, he turned his attention back to his friends. "I told you she was real!" Amaya was saying triumphantly to Kenji. "Yeah, and she's _really_ beautiful…" Kenji responded dreamily. Kazuo immediately decided not to tell them what happened. Shoving his necklace back into his shirt, he told them in a voice that was only slightly shaky, "Guys, lets go before anyone catches us here."

Once safely outside, the three friends reveled in their own discoveries. It was something of a life-changing episode for all of them, but most of all, for Kazuo. What had happened to his pendant? Why did it change like something out of those Barbie movies his sister made him watch whenever he lost a bet? Ew, he hoped it didn't mean he'd become a fairy princess - er, prince. Kenji, on the other hand, was noticing something different. "Hey, Kaz? You look a lot like Kagome." he said her name almost reverently, but Kazuo got the point.

Or rather, he didn't get the point. He looked like a _girl_? Maybe he should get rid of the necklace before it turned him into something… Oh, who was he kidding. He'd never lose it on purpose. But when he put his hand on his neck to tug it out, he realised that he didn't have to lose it on purpose.

It was already gone.


	4. Chapter 3

A/N : This one's gonna be short, but don't worry. Next chapter will be out in a couple of days! Because I love you guys :)

* * *

THREE

Theft

A few hours later, Kazuo's flat

 _Stolen._ The word bounced around in Kazuo's head. Although his necklace had been missing a few hours, his stomach still lurched whenever he thought about it - the way it changed the moment he set eyes on the picture of Kagome, and how it vanished minutes later.

If there was one thing he was sure about, it was that he had not dropped it accidentally or lost it in any way; a fact verified hours ago by himself and his friends when they painstakingly searched the whole area. That left Kazuo with only one alternative - theft.

He hung his head as his father's voice resonated within. _Son, will you be all right on your own?_ That was eight months ago, when he had naively assumed that living without his family would be a piece of cake.

The gritty reality came to him days later - when he had to do his own laundry, make his own food, tidy up his own living space, do the dishes and many things other than homework. But a family heirloom, snatched from right under his nose? Definitely something he'd never anticipated.

He had to act fast. No doubt the thief would want to sell it, and once that happened, it would be hard to trace. Which meant that he'd have to alert the police. Which meant he needed a picture for identification of the necklace. And for that…

 _Come on, pick up!_ Kazuo willed silently as the number he dialled began to ring. Three times, four times - _click._ "Hey, twerp. Missing me already?" Sakura asked. Kazuo grimaced. "Hey, Sis. I was wondering if you had those old birthday photos of mine?"

"Whaddya want those for anyway? They're ugly." "Sa _kura_. Just send them." Sakura scrolled through the pictures her brother wanted. All of them, she noticed, were clearly focusing on the necklace. Did that mean…?

"Also, when are you guys coming over?" Kazuo asked in a slightly strained voice. She smiled. "In two weeks. It's just me and mom, though, dad's too busy to make it." Kazuo winced. Two weeks? How could he possibly find the necklace by then? "Kazuo? Everything alright?" Sakura asked. "Huh? Yeah, everything's great! Just perfect! Can't wait to see you guys in," he gulped, "two weeks!" Then, breathing heavily, he hung up.

Sakura frowned; in a second she had figured it all out. "You owe me one, kid." Then she dialled another number. "Hey, Sam? Yeah, about that internship.. I changed my mind."

Seconds later, Kazuo was looking at the pictures his sister had sent him. She was right, he had an ugly scowl on his face, but what mattered was that the necklace was clearly visible. All he had to do now was to head over to the nearest police station, and - loud Metallica suddenly blared, drowning out his thoughts.

He picked up his phone tensely. "Hi, mom." "Hi sweetie," he heard her familiar voice say. She sounded disappointed, and his stomach sank a few centimeters lower.

"We won't be able to visit you after all. Your sister just got an important internship, you see, and it lasts for two months," she said. "It was so sudden, and - I'm so sorry, Kazuo... We were both looking forward to meeting you, it's just -" she broke off sharply. Kazuo could hardly believe his ears.

"No, mom, it's okay," he said guiltily. "Really, I don't mind." "I'm sorry, sweetheart! We won't be able to visit you this year, but I promise - next time we'll stay twice as long," she said.

Kazuo comforted his mother as best as he could under the circumstances, even as he visibly loosened up. A whole year… meaning a whole lot of possibilities. By the time he hung up, he was feeling much more optimistic.

"Hey," his roommate entered the hall, yawning. He looked like he's just woken up. "Hey yourself." Kazuo replied. "Listen, I'm kinda in a hurry, so -" "Sure, sure..." he said dismissively. "Go ahead. I'll be right here." he went into the kitchen. Kazuo stared for at him, or rather, at the small box in his hands. "Tea? Seriously?" "Just go already." said his roommate, tossing him a bag of potato chips. "And find whatever the heck you lost."

Kazuo smiled as he locked the door. Daisuke could be pretty sharp when he was sober. Then, remembering the task ahead, he turned around and hurried along the corridor. If he wanted to get his necklace back, he had to move fast. Apparently, he was going _too_ fast, because he tripped over something.

Fortunately, he didn't hit the ground. Unfortunately, that was because the ground was at least a hundred feet below him.

The wind rushed past his ears - or was he screaming? - and all thoughts left his mind as he began falling freely.


	5. Chapter 4

A/N: IMPORTANT: if I ever again mention that a new chapter will be published in a specified time, please ignore.

Guys, I'm so sorry, things were terrible the past week and I had the worst case of writer's block :( Please understand that I'm a novice in terms of writing and I just want to give you my best... and that takes some time. Anyway, if you find any mistakes concerning the flow of the story, please let me know. Also, I've updated the previous chapter so check it out! That's it for now. Enjoy!

* * *

FOUR

Demons

Edo period, Tokyo

Kazuo grunted, rubbing his head, which he'd bumped pretty badly during the fall. He was trying to figure out what had just happened, but it sounded so ridiculous in his own head that he gave up. He could think another day. First things first, he had to find a police station and track down his necklace. He sat up, coaxed his shaking legs to support him and, ignoring his many bruises, went on his way.

At first he didn't know which way to go. There were trees everywhere, which confused him. Having no vehicle of his own, Kazuo preferred to walk or take a bus if it was too far. Yet for all his pedestrian knowledge of Tokyo, he'd never been in a place with half as many trees as this one, not even in the parks he'd hung out with his friends. His sense of direction was useless in this unfamiliar forest - but he was saved by common sense, telling him to go in any direction; as long as he stuck with it, he was bound to leave the forest at some point.

Relieved, he walked ahead, taking care not to stray from his path. It was early evening and there was still plenty of light. By the time the sun began to set, Kazuo had found a dirt trail leading out of the forest. He turned back. The trees were casting long, eerie shadows which seemed to melt into a pool of darkness further behind. Something about the image made him walk a little faster, as it got darker inside, like the forest was rejecting all natural light.

Kazuo realised with dawning horror that he was able to sense something odd about the forest. Something _evil._ He didn't know where the feeling was coming from, but he wasn't about to question it. His blood froze as some malicious presence rapidly approached him. Abandoning all exhaustion, Kazuo ran wildly along the dirt track, but the _thing,_ whatever it was, was fast. It caught up with him easily, and somehow he could sense it reaching out, claws extended, to grab him… and then, with a sudden burst of speed, he was out of the forest, and the presence was gone.

But Kazuo was not taking any chances. He needed to get as much distance between himself and that forest as possible, and _find people._ All thoughts of the police had fled from his mind long ago. Instead, his brain screamed, _faster! FASTER!_ As his legs struggled to comply. He didn't even stop to see where he was going or what was in front of him. As a result, he crashed into the first (and only) person in his way.

"Oof." "OUCH!"

They rebounded. The stranger was startled but not really hurt, and Kazuo had landed solidly on his butt. His bag of potato chips exploded on impact, generously showering both of them with its contents.

Kazuo didn't know if he was more relieved or embarrassed.

"Potato chips..?" a male voice asked, accompanied by crunching sounds. "Man, it's been _years_ since I had this stuff!" "Eh?!" was all Kazuo could say. The stranger didn't reply, but that was only because his mouth was full. For the next few minutes, Kazuo had to endure the extremely irritating sound of a lot of potato chips being chewed at once. Finally, the stranger was finished (or at least, the crunching had stopped; it was too dark to see) and spoke. "You're from Tokyo, right?" "Duh. This _is_ Tokyo." Kazuo said, annoyed. Some weird part of the city he'd never seen before, but still.

The stranger got up, shaking his head. "No, it isn't. And there's an easy way for you to get back." "Oh, _really_? And what's that?" "Over there." he said, pointing towards something. Kazuo realised that his eyes had adjusted to the dark enough to see that he was indicating a well some distance off. _That's no ordinary well,_ he thought, startling himself. Could it send him back to Tokyo somehow? With a start, he realised that he'd been believing the stranger all along. He took another look around. This place neither looked nor felt like Tokyo...

As Kazuo pondered, he had a good look at the guy himself. his appearance was unusual, to say the least. He was a teenager, about the same age as Kazuo himself, and had reddish hair tied into a long ponytail. His clothes were the traditional, loose-fitting type. His feet looked different, and… was that a fox's _tail_ behind him?

 _A kitsune!_ He thought. An actual fox demon! _They don't exist_ , his stubborn brain argued, but he believed his eyes. Besides, he wasn't evil like the presence in the forest, and he didn't seem to be lying either. Getting to his feet, Kazuo walked right up to the other boy. "I'll give the well a try." he said, "But if I don't make it, use your magic and get me out." The kitsune grinned mischievously. "We'll see about that, Priest." " _What_ did you call me?" "Nothing. Now are you planning to go back or not?" Kazuo rolled his eyes. "We'll see how it works, Fox."

Now it was the kitsune's turn to roll his eyes. "My name's Shippo, idiot."

Kazuo turned to look at him, sitting at the edge of the well. "Shippo. You sure this'll work?" "I don't know," Shippo replied, "but it always worked for Kagome." _Kagome was here?_ he thought, stunned. He suddenly didn't feel so eager to jump into the well. But before he could say anything, Shippo gave him a push, and for the second time in the same day, Kazuo was falling into the unknown.

* * *

A/N: Ah, finally! This ends Kazuo's beginning! And the next chapter will be told by a new character, a girl this time! I can't wait!


	6. Chapter 5

A/N: Yes, I am still alive! I'm so sorry for not updating sooner. This was the stupid reason: I just couldn't settle on a name for Akemi. But, well, here she is! And I'll try my best to update this fic as much as i possibly can because I've been thinking about the plot and its finally developed enough :)

* * *

FIVE

Unexpected

Edo Period, Somewhere near Tokyo

It was past sunset by the time Akemi reached human habitation. It wasn't much, just a few scattered huts and medium-sized houses, but it was enough to quicken her pace. This was a dangerous time to be travelling alone. Bandits, officers patrolling around - both options were equally terrifying; both could mean… she frowned, resisting the temptation to look at _it_ for the umpteenth time. _Not now. I have to get out of here first._ Under her cloak, her fingers curled around the pendant, as a thin golden chain ran down her fingers.

"Hey! You there!" an elderly voice called out. She jumped, eyes wide as she quickly scanned the area for a place to run. "Young woman!" the voice called again. Akemi hesitated and turned around slowly. An old woman stood by the doorway of a nearby hut, looking straight at her. "It's not safe for a woman to be traveling alone after sunset." she stepped aside, opening the door. "You're welcome to spend the night here."

Before she knew it, the girl was sitting inside the hut, being served some rice and fish by her hostess. She didn't really know what to say - it had been so long since she'd been in any form of human company, that she felt very awkward and out of place in this little hut. All the same, it was nice to be taken care of. In a matter of seconds, her plate was empty. The old woman chuckled. "My, you eat faster than my three sons combined!"

Later that night, she lay on the matting, wide awake and alert for any signs that her hostess may be awake. All she heard was the latter's steady snores. Relieved, she reached into the folds of her kimono and gently took out the pendant. It seemed even darker in the moonlight, accentuating the white lines and making the pink flower at its center glow. It was beautiful to look at - but that wasn't why she took it in the first place. That was hard to explain. She was drawn to it, somehow; even before she saw it, she could feel its power. She didn't have to think, taking it from that boy was a piece of cake. Like most people around him, he was too immersed in his own world to notice her deft fingers slipping it off…

She smiled and replaced it in her kimono. He would never find her. Not here, of all places… or should she say, of all times? Smirking, she closed her eyes. Tomorrow would be another long journey, and she needed all the rest she could get.

The next morning passed without much incident. Having thanked the old woman, Akemi went on her way and was soon deep in the forest again, feeling a sudden rush of relief. The forest would always be her refuge, hiding her from unwanted eyes. It was the only place she was truly free… despite all the elders telling her it was dangerous. Well, almost all the elders… there was only one exception. _"Don't believe what they say, Ishi. The forest is not our enemy."_ "You're right, Father." she murmured, bowing her head. General Tsukawa never lied.

She went on her way slowly, wondering how different this journey would be if her father was traveling with her. He would have made her train every morning, she thought. Told her stories every night, as if she was still a little kid. Teased her whenever she did something embarrassing. Called her his stubborn little 'ishi', something which irritated her to no end back when he was alive… but now… now she'd do anything to bring him back.

She walked on, so lost in thought that her normally excellent senses didn't pick up the presence of other people in the forest. Luckily for her, they didn't bother keeping their voices down. "Think, Shippo, _think!_ " a male voice whined, sounding positively desperate. "I have to get back! Anyhow! I don't wanna be stuck here _forever_!" She jumped at the sound and dived behind a thick tree, waiting for them to pass. This kind of thing happened once in a while, and the conversations were usually not very interesting. She listened anyway.

"Gimme a break. I don't know any other way, okay?" another voice, also male, responded. He sounded exasperated. "But-?! Tell me you'll find a way! _I need to get back to Tokyo!"_ the first voice said, half-pleading and half-threatening. Akemi gasped and fell to her knees, her heart pounding fiercely. _Tokyo_...

"Something was _stolen,_ dammit! And I can't do anything about it from this place!" he continued relentlessly, his voice growing louder with each word, although the girl barely registered the change. She was too busy absorbing the meaning of his words, her hands shaking as she clawed the ground. _Tokyo. Stolen…_

How could this happen? How did _he_ find this place, this time? Of course, there was still a chance that she was mistaken and that they were talking about something else entirely. The slimmest chance that her ears had heard 'Tokyo', which didn't exist yet, where he might have said 'Kyoto'.

She desperately hoped that was the case.

She dimly heard the other man say something consoling, but that wasn't her main focus now. Getting up shakily, she carefully peeked out from behind the tree… and her heart sank like a stone. She recognised those out-of-place clothes, which belonged in Tokyo, as did the uncannily short hair and even the back of his head. He was walking next to another young man, with red hair and- and a _tail_? Her legs gave way and she collapsed, staring at the little ants crawling around so peacefully. He was here. With a demon.

Just this morning she thought the village was a bad idea, but it was nothing compared to this. She had jumped out of the frying pan and headfirst into the fire.

* * *

A/N: And there we have it! If you enjoyed the story so far, drop a review. Constructive criticism is welcome, but no hate please.


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